Drinking-cup dispenser



P. MAIWURM.

DRINKING CUP.DISPENSER.

APPLICAHON FILED FEB. 21, I92}.

L lgfifififi, Patented Aug. 115, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

P. MAIWURM.

DRINKING CUP DISPENSER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2|. 192:.

1,425,86. I Patented 8- 15, 1922 A 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- entree stares PAFENF PA'UIA BIAIWURM, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

' DRINKING-CUP DISPENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent. PatQntQfl Aug. 15, 1922..

Application filed February 21, 1921. Serial No. 446,982.

' Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Drinking-Cup Dispenser, of which the 7 following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sanitary drinking-cup dispensers; and its principal objects are, first, to provide im-, proved means for holding and delivering, one at a time, a larger number of drinkingcups than has been possible heretofore; and, secondly, to provide improved means for separating the drinking cups and delivering them, one' at a time, automatically.

It consists, primarily, in grouping a plurality of cup-holding tubes equi-distant from a central vertically rotatable shaft about which said several tubes rotate in unison, and means operable on each tube vertically in opposite directions for segregating the cups, one at a time, and delivering such segregated cups periodically as each tube is brought to the place for delivery thereof all as hereinafter fully set forth and as stated in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate like parts Referring thereto, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a cylindrical case showing two of six vertical tubes therein and operative mechanism in section embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section of Fig. 1 on the dotted line 22; and Figs. 3', 4,5, 6, 7 and 8 are longitudinal cross sections of the lower ends of the several vertical tubes, illustrating the progressive movements of the cup segregating and deliverinomechanism during each revolution of the series of tubes around the central shaft.

In the drawings A is a cylindrical sheet metal body, having a top cover a, and a circular supporting base B, terminating with a flanged portion 7 on which it rests. The floor of the cylindrical body, L, has a gradual incline, as shown in profile in Figs. 3

.to 8, the purpose of which will be hereafter stated. C is an inner cylindrical body which is solidly supported upon the central portion of the base, I; and D is a central rotary standard or shaft mounted vertically in said central portion of the base to freely rotate therein.

A plurality of disks P P P, each having a series of perforations equally spaced apart and adapted to receive and support therein the series of vertical tubes F 'F' shown in Fig. 2, are carriedv upon several horizontal supports cl d d,.which are solidly secured upon said central shaft so as to rotate therei with and thereby shift the positions of the several tubes accordingly. The periphery of each disk rests loosely against the inner surface of the cylindrical body A, thereby assisting in the vertical support of the central shaft D. A secondary cylindrical body E is secured against the lower portion of the outer cylinder A and a short distance within the latter, the object of which is to support the spiral track or ide-rail G near the top of the cylinder at or near the dotted line 2-2, and two similar spiral tracks'Gr and G within the lower portion of the cylinder E, shown in Fig. 1. Said guide-rails are solidly secured upon the inner surface of the cylindrical body E, and are' each provided with a longitudinal groove from end to end thereof to permit a small wheel 9 to travel therein, for'a purpose hereafter stated. I

A series of vertical tubesin the present instance six-are mounted in the several perforations of the disks P, as aforesaid,

and are thus made to travel successively around the standard 1) responsive to its action.

Said tubes may be made of glass or any suitable V sheet 1 metal or other substance adapted to the purpose; they are in all respects alike, and of a length to hold a large number of drinking-cups K K, preferably about one hundred, each cup being conical in shape, and bordered with a flanged rim is, and fitted to set into one another in such manner as to have the several rims spaced apart a short distance, in the usualand well known way of storing sanitary drinkingcups, substantially as shown.

As no claim is made herein to the construction or storage of the cups in the tubes, further description thereof is omitted.

The mechanism for segregating the cups, one by one, from the series of cups in each tube, and for dispensing the cups, one at a time, by the revolution of the tubes about the standard D will now be more particularly described.

Segregation is accomplished, mainly, by novel means for gripping the flanged rim is of the next to the lowest cup in each tube, successively, while a similar gripping means simultaneously engages the lowest cup in the tube and gradually forces the latter from the cup next above it, and so progresses at each step in the revolution of the tube, until the latter reaches an opening m in the floor L, when, the withdrawal being completed, the cup falls by gravity to a lower floor'M in dispensed position within easy reach of the person served.

To actuate said gripping and segregating means, each tube is encircled loosely near the top of the cylindrical body E by a ring or sleeve H adapted to slide freely upand down thereon a limited distance, said sleeve being provided with a downwardly project-- ing marginal band It.

A plurality of hooked fingers 71 2' attached to the surface of the tube below said sleeve engage the under side of the flanged rim of the said next to the lowest cup by pres-' sure of said band it upon said resilient fingers-the wall of the tube being slotted, as shown to admit said hooks therethrough at any elevation of the sleeveand, when said pressure is removed by the upward movement of said sleeve, said hooks are thereby disengaged from said flanged rim, thus permitting the entire series of cups to fall by gravity through the tube to the floor L.

Another sleeve or collar J fits loosely the lower end of each tube, and a plurality of resilient hooked fingers j 7' (Fig. 1) attached thereto engage the upper surface of the. rim of the lowest cup, their action being controlled b means of a third sleeve or collar I located a short distance above the collar J, and fitted to slide up and down said tube a limited distance, said collar being beveled inwardly around its top and adapted to engage the under side of said hooked fingers j j and force them apart at a predetermined point when it slides upwardly; and, when it slides downwardly, it permits said fingers,

by their resilience, to automatically engage the upper surface of the flanged rim is of the said lowest cup whereby the latter is gradually drawn from connection with the cup next above it as the tube revolves in progressive steps around the standard D, until it reaches said floor opening M For the purpose of timing and graduating the movements of said three collars H l and J, each is provided with a pair of small pulley wheels 9' on opposite sides thereof, adapted to travel in said track groove of said guide-rails G, and the latter are arranged in spiral formation, acting in the nature of cams, having different elevations in .respectively.

their circuits suited to cause the timely up and down movements of the several collars, In the drawings, the upper and outer guide-rail for the outer pulley wheel on the collar H is indicated by Gr, and the inner wheel on sald collar, by G; the outer guiderail for the collar I is indicated by G and the inner rail by G*; and the outer guiderail for the outer pulley wheel on the collar J is indicated by G and the inner rail for the inner wheel thereon, by G The timed movements of the several collars and corresponding hooked fingers in their progressive action during a single revolution of a six-tubed apparatus of this character is illustrated by the several figures from 3 to 8, inclusive, in which Fig. 3 shows the relative positions of the several collars and fingers at the commencement of a revolution following the complete segregation and dispensing of a drinking-cup K on the floor M the collar marked 'H being then at its lowest point, and the gripping fingers thereon engaging the under side of the flanged rim is of the lowest cup in the tube. Fig. 4 shows the next step in the revolution of the tube, when the collar H is slid up to its highest point, thereby disengaging the hooked fingers 2' from said rim, thus permitting the series of cups in the tube to fall by gravity to the sloping floor L; the relative positions of the other two collars are shown by I and J and the hooked fingers and their relative positions, by j. Fig. 5 shows the relative positions of the several collars and corresponding gripping fingers at the next step of the revolution, at which said fingers i and f intervene between the lowest and next to the lowest rims 7c, preparatory to the withdrawal of the lowest from the next to the lowest cup in the tube.

Fig. 6 shows the further gradual segregation of the lowest cup, and Figs. 7 and 8 show such entire separation as to cause the bottom of the segregated .cup to reach the sloping floor, the gripping fingers in their different positions, progressively, being shown by 2', 2' and j, 7'", respectively, and the segregated cup ready to be deposited upon the lower floor or open platform M, as shown under Fig. 3.

The several progressive movements or steps of the tubes are caused by operating the hand lever S which is loosely connected to the standard D and actuates a ratchet wheel R, which in the present instance has six catches on its periphery, whereby the six successive steps in the revolution of disks and tubes are accomplished periodically, and one drinking-cup dispensed as aforesaid at each step by action of said ratchet wheel catches and the ratchet T engaging therewith responsive to the lever S.

I do not limit my claims to mere matters ide-rail for the inner pulley pen ed vertically in said apertures, respec-' tively; a plurality of drinking-cups set together in said tubes, respectively, and means for segregating the lowest from the next lowest cup in each tube, progressively, and for delivering it singly in an open space of said body by the revolution of said tubes around said standard, step by step.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a cylindrical body; of a vertical standard mounted to rotate in said body; a series of vertical tubes mounted to revolve around said standard; means for actuating said standard rotarily in progres sive steps; a plurality of drinking-cups settogether in said tubes, respectively; and' means, including hooked members operable in opposite directions vertically and-laterally, for segregating the lowest from the next lowest cupin each tube by progressive steps, and for delivering the former in dispensed position, singly in an open space of said body. 1

3. In a device. of the character described, the combination of a cylindrical body, 'a vertical standard mounted to rotate therein, a lurality of vertical tubes mounted'to re vo ve about said standard in progressive steps, means for actuating said standard rotarily b steps; an inner cylindrical body surroun ing the lower portion of said standard; opposite placed guide-rails mounted.

spirally, one without and the other within the circuit of said tubes, respectively; a plurality of collars, each slidable in both directions vertically on said tubes, respectively; each of said collars mounted on travelling pulleys operable in said guide-rails, respectively; a plurality of gripping hooks attached to said collars, respectively, and operable through said tubes; and means for actuating said hooks periodically both vertically and laterally by the co-action of said collars and the revolution of said tubes.

4. In a drinking-cup dispenser, the combination with a plurality of drinking-cups set together in a vertical tube adapted to revolve around a central standard, said cups having flanged rims; of a plurality of hooked members adapted to engage the rim of the next to the lowest cup in said tube, and a plurality of hooked members adapted to engage the lowest cup therein, and means, including a plurality of vertically movable collars on said tube, for actuating said hooked members into and out of engagement with said rims, respectively, in timed relation, periodically, and for shifting said 001- lars vertically in timed relation to each other. 7

5. A drinking-cup dispenser, comprising in combination an outer and an inner cylindrical body, a vertical standard rotatable apertures, and a plurality of tubes mounted in said apertures; a plurality of hooked.

members operable upwardly and downwardlyand inwardly and outwardlyabout said tubes, respectively; a plurality of se ondary hooked members operable in like manner below the former hooked members,"

PAUL MAIWURM.

In presence of two witnesses- D. W. FOLEY, J. A. DALTON.

75 I therein, supports on said standard having 

